As part of IFLA, all of us are communicating on an international arena. This is not always an easy task, since we all live in different environments which have an impact on our communication. Impact which is so deeply integrated in us so we don’t even notice it.
One issue in our different environments (which might be the easiest one to develop), is to concider the differences between the northern and the southern hemisphere and their different seasons. Then writing a winter message can be kind of peculiar when the hot summer sun is shining outside (as a colleague from New Zealand pointed out the other day).
But even more difficult are the differens in culture, religions, gender and age. We might for example say “Merry Christmas” on the section FB-page (I’ve done that.), but what about other religions? Does a person with another belief feel involved in the IFLA work when their culture or religion is invisible? Are we open to different people with different backgrounds, religion, gender, age etc?
To improve and develop a communication built on inclusion, where everyone feel involved in the IFLA work and where everyone feel that their competence, their input and their work is being used by it’s full potential, we all need to concider different aspects on the environment we come from. To get all IFLA languages more used and visible is one important step, but the more difficult and important one is to get a communication built on inclusion in place.
What do you think about this? Do you have any suggestions on how to develop this work?
/Catharina Isberg (Information Coordinator, CPDWL)
